Time and Time Again
by hpswst101
Summary: Time and time again they met and slowly they started to fall in love even though they knew they shouldn't. The setting is nineteenth century Ireland between the young steward Damian and his lady Cassandra. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Time and Time Again

By hpswst101

_Disclaimer: I do not own Damian or the Celtic Thunder boys who will be making a small cameo appearance later on._

_Dedication goes to my mother who read the original of this and made me redo it. I'm glad I listened. : )_

Castle Madison: Early Nineteenth Century

It had been a long journey from her home in the Lake Country of England to here, the middle of nowhere Ireland. She wasn't even sure where she was in relation to Dublin, only that she was a few days ride by carriage.

The young Cassandra peeked out the window for a bit, looking at all the greenery around her and occasionally watching the Irish workers pick potatoes. This land was foreign to her, and to be quite honest she was scared.

In a few months time she would be getting married. Now for most people as soon as the proposal came, so did the marriage but her soon-to-be-husband, a Lord in one of the Irish Castles, was a widow. Lord John's original wife had died giving childbirth. Unfortunately the child never survived his first winter leaving the Lord alone with his two daughters. The girls were now thirteen and eleven, just a few years younger then Cassandra herself.

Because of this though John wanted Cassandra to arrive a few months prior, so she could get a chance to form a bond with the girls and get a feel and understanding for her new role and land. After all, she was now going to become a Lady of Court.

As Cassandra let her mind drift away, only half-listening to the clopping of the horses of the carriage and her guards. She started to wonder what her new life would be like. Would the children be nice and open to her? Or would they be cold and ill-feeling at the thought of Cassandra taking over the place of their mother? She didn't even know who her husband was! All that she knew of him was that he was in his mid-fifties and owned a castle in Ireland and a few other estates elsewhere.

A few quick rasps came to the carriage door. "My lady," one of her guards spoke in a serious voice. "We are almost at the castle now."

"Thank you, Mr. Wallace," Cassandra replied back and started. In a little over ten minutes they were let in through the gates of the castle and brought up the stone road to the front door.

Her heart was racing and there was a strange feeling in the bottom of her stomach, butterflies. _No, I don't want to do this! I'm to young! I'm not ready!_ She shouted in her mind, but it didn't matter. There were plenty of females younger than her who were married and having children. It didn't matter if she was ready or not because it was happening either way.

The carriage came to a halt and the horses stopped their clopping, Cassandra closed her eyes, hoping to steady her nervous heart. Oh how she wanted to be back home with her faithful dog and family.

"Lord Madison, may I present Cassandra Potter of Wentworth Place." The carriage door opened, the young lady took a deep breath of air before moving out of the carriage, one of the footmen helping her down. She gave a polite nod to him before folding her hands in front of her, just as she was taught in school, her back perfectly straight and a small smile on her face.

"Good afternoon, my Lord." She addressed the tall, serious and very imposing, brown with a mixture of grey haired man. He was the best dressed so she rightly assumed he would be her future husband.

"Good afternoon." He nodded his head, curt, before turning to the two young girls at his side. Both had the same rich chestnut hair of their father but they instead had deep hazel eyes, the opposite of John's own grey ones.

"Miss Potter these are my daughters; Jane and Mary." Jane was the taller of the two, the oldest with Mary being the younger. "Girls, this will be your new mother in a few more months, treat her well." The girls didn't say anything other than a deep curtsy to their father and then to Cassandra.

_How can I mother two girls who are only a few years younger than me?_ But Cassandra pushed that thought out of her mind, it didn't matter, she was going to have to do it.

"I would also like to present their governess, Mrs. Cornell." The prim, straight old woman behind him gave a curt nod of her head to Cassandra. "And my Steward, McGinty."

A young male, around Cassandra's own age stepped forward. He had a handsome, young face with piercing, soul searching blue eyes. His hair was colored a dark brown with a slight wave to it that fell to his ears. McGinty was tall and nicely formed but Cassandra, for the most part, ignored him other than to give him a small nod of her head as he rose from his deep bow.

"If you need help with anything, feel free to let him know." John had kept an even tone to his introductions, but there seemed to be a bit more pride in his voice when he mentioned McGinty's title.

Said Steward didn't say anything. Lord John moved on to introduce his butler, the cook and the housekeeper. They were all older, around John's own age or a few shades younger, but McGinty. McGinty was clearly the youngest of all of them. Subconsciously Cassandra wondered how McGinty had gotten too such a high position so young. It was soon after all the introduction were done that the servants were dismissed to go about their normal routines and Cassandra was lead to where she would be rooming until her wedding night.

It was a nice sized room with a small parlor for her to entertain guests in and a bedroom off to the side behind a door. _"I hope you will be happy here__,"_ John had said before he had left her to unpack her belongings. _"__Let me know if you need anything."_ He gave her strict instructions and directions to dinner; she was not supposed to be late. Cassandra only nodded her head and as soon as the door had closed behind her, collapsed on her couch to silently cry for her own home back in England.

That next day she was sitting at her small writing desk, writing a letter to her mother assuring her of her daughter's safe arrival when someone knocked on her door. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out who would be calling for her. The Lord's daughters had left an hour or so ago to start their studies and lunch wasn't for another few hours. "Who is it?"

"McGinty, ma'am. The Steward." The voice was deep. A flash of the young Steward flashed in her mind, his piercing blue eyes gazing at her.

"Come in." She heard the door open and McGinty step in but she didn't turn to greet him. He could wait a few minutes for her to finish her letter. Once she finished it she turned in her seat slightly to face him, finally acknowledging his presence. She gave him a nod to tell him to explain his presence in her suite.

"Lord John wanted me to give you a tour of the castle and its immediate grounds." He had a thick Irish brogue to his voice but he wasn't unintelligible either. If she were to be honest the accent was kind of cute but she would never admit it, especially to herself.

"I thought my Lord would be giving me the tour?"

"Some problems have risen and will leave him detained for the day so he asked me to give you the tour instead." Cassandra nodded her head; she didn't have much of a choice really.

Grabbing one of her shawls she wrapped it around her shoulders before exiting her room, the Steward closing the door behind her. He led her through the castle, showing her the different rooms and how to get there from other places. Everywhere they went people stared, peering at their new Lady of the House and making up their own minds and assumptions on her. McGinty and Cassandra ignored them. But it wasn't until they started on Castle Madison's gardens that true conversations started to arise.

A peaceful silence had endured through the tour of the castle except to tell Cassandra a thing or two but outside, in the fresh air, the need to talk seemed to be a bit stronger.

"What can you tell me about the Lord and his family?" Cassandra had just met them and she knew nothing about them. Earlier in the day she had tried to get the girls to talk to her but efforts were fruitless. She hadn't learned anything new about them.

"Their not very talkative people now."

"I noticed," she answered dryly and stopped to smell one of the flowers blooming. "Anything else?"

"They were once a happy family. A family that chatted and talked with one another quite frequently, but the death of their mother and the newborn child that winter really shocked them. Especially the Lord, he was distraught at his wife's passing and then the loss of his only son. He's been a very quiet and private man ever since. His daughters very much mirror him in that regard."

"He loved her that much?" They stopped. The young male turned to look at her, to meet her own deep green eyes with his piercing blue ones.

"She was a good and noble woman; a gentle and motherly soul. Everyone was heartbroken at her sudden departure." His voice was gentle and soft, his eyes shinning with the heartbreak he had spoken of.

"You knew her?" He nodded his head.

"Believe me when I say she had one of the sweetest souls. Her family loved her very much." Cassandra hung her head a bit.

"How am I supposed to live up to that?"

"Don't," was the Steward's simple answer. "Be your own person. Do your own things. Don't try to measure up to others and their expectations." The young lady didn't answer, slightly surprised at the wisdom in the Steward's words. "All we want from you is to be the Lady of the House and bear the Lord's children. That's all we're expecting."

Slowly, almost like in a trance, she nodded her head. "That's very observant of you." He shrugged it off.

"That was Lord John's advice to me when Coulter, the Stewart before me, died and I took on his role." He smiled, amused. "It's a been a year and a half since then and I'm still learning and trying to understand my job." He laughed lightly.

"How old are you?" _He can't be my age_, she thought in disbelief. He seemed older than that, either because of his voice or his status among the servants.

"I will be turning nineteen in two more weeks." He was only a few months older then her. She gave a light shake of her head, impressed and, told him that. He looked away wanting to hide the color that was entering his cheeks but she still caught it and smiled.

The tour soon ended and the handsome male escorted her back to her room to freshen up for lunch. He bade her farewell for a time and walked away and as he walked away she couldn't help but hope that she had made a friend in the young serving male.

Over the next few days the two would meet to go over Cassandra's new duties as Lady of the Castle and help her get orientated to the castle and its people. Through these meeting she got to know the Steward better. His name was Damian, named for his father, and had lived in a small town called Derry City until he turned fourteen and came to work in the castle to help support his family back home. That was all he had ever told her and she didn't mind that as his company was more than enough. The family hadn't been any more or less welcoming to her in the coming days so she desperately seek out the warmth and friendship of the young Irish Steward, even if he was a servant from Ireland at least _he_ talked to her.

But a few weeks later, in the middle of September, on one of the days Lord John was actually home, Cassandra paid the Lord a visit to his private study. The young Steward had just come to talk with the Lord about the castle's state of affairs when Cassandra asked the Lord a question. Neither noticed the young man standing outside the door listening in despite his better judgment.

"Why is it you make your home here and not in England as all the others do?" Lord John paused for a second to look up from his work.

"This is my house," was his quiet response.

"You have three other estates, one being in England itself. Why do you not take up residence there?" There was a small, pleading tone to her voice as she spoke.

The going grey-haired man only shook his head, "England is full of corruption and ill feelings to anyone they deem lower than themselves. No, I will not move our family. This is our home."

"But the girls can meet so many more people there. Jane will soon be of age and all too soon Mary will follow her footsteps. Who is there to be courted from here?" Damian knew Cassandra had a point to that. There were no eligible men of proper status here; they were all in England and Wales, coming out only to Ireland when they absolutely had too. It would be smarter to move the family away to England so the girls can be courted off but there was a small tinge in his chest at the thought of the family leaving indefinitely, with Cassandra.

He had grown close to Cassandra and enjoyed her dry humor and care. She really did want to fit in with the family, she just didn't know how.

"I am not moving this family in either case." The sound of a chair being moved back came from the room. "This is home. Britain, with all of its etiquette maybe our mother country, but it has its dark shadows. England is not always innocent or safe."

Damian could hear the sound of a pen scratching and a few seconds later the door opened to reveal an annoyed Cassandra leaving, her head tilted up as she marched away. She didn't notice Damian, which he was more than fine with but he had to admit that even when mad there was an elegance and grace to her he had never seen in another person.

As she walked away there was a lingering scent left behind from her perfume. He closed his eyes, taking it in before waiting a few seconds to enter John's study.

Tucked away safely in her own room she dropped the controlled mask she had placed on as soon as she had left John's study. She was mad, hurt, annoyed and completely defeated.

She knew why he couldn't leave; he couldn't leave his wife, Lady Sharon, behind. Her memory still haunts the castle and him. He hadn't gotten over his late wife and probably never will.

With a sigh she tried to hold back the tears that wanted to run down her face. She missed her family and the world she had grown up in. As she opened her deep forest green eyes, her gaze landed on the Lord's daughters and tutor studying in the garden today. It was actually quite nice outside, a very rare site she was told.

The children were complacent and easy to work with, but, so quiet. She never knew what was going through their minds. _Were they always like that?_ She had to wonder. It was then that McGinty walked into the window frame and over to the daughters, more likely then not to tell them to prepare for supper.

An easy smile was on his face as he greeted the girls and their tutor. The girls smiled in return at the young and handsome Steward as they packed up their bags. McGinty departed and Cassandra watched him intently.

She had noticed that about herself in the passing weeks, how she would be watching the Steward. That he was starting to enter her thoughts more and more. She had never experienced any other time with men that when they left her company, she wanted them back. Late in the night she would wonder about him, his smiles and laughs.

"He was a good person," everyone seemed to say, as she would hear the male servants talk to one another about the Steward. They spoke of how he was always helping out around the castle when it was needed with the Butler, Byrom.

The maids would giggle and gossip about his handsome face, his position as Steward and just him and his warm disposition. But lately the talk of the maids had started to irritate her and she could not in words explain exactly why it did. All she knew was that it did.

It made a strange twist in her stomach to see him with the other females around his own age. To hear him talked of by the other maids, especially since he didn't have a beau.

McGinty left her viewpoint in the window then, but he didn't leave her thoughts.

It had been a few days earlier; she had the most powerful urge to just move, her body not wanting to stay still a moment longer. It was dark and raining, all the servants had turned in by now. Cassandra held a small candle in her hand to light the way as she walked around the castle. As she turned a corner though she was met with the brighter light of a candelabrum that was being held by McGinty.

"My lady?" He spoke, sounding surprised. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep, decided to walk around instead." McGinty nodded his head, concurring with the thought. It was then without saying anything the two started to walk around together. Their own candles being the only source of light.

They both felt more comfortable in their dark surroundings as they walked together, the conversation soon started between them, their volumes low and soft. "You are quite the talk among the servants it seems. I'm always hearing your name being spoken, especially by the women." Even in the dim light Cassandra thought she saw a bit of red tinge his cheeks.

"The women have always looked after me. They are very much like mothers and sisters." Cassandra smiled sadly; at least he has family among the servants.

"Ah, but I think a few of them would like to be something more to you. Do you not have a beau?"

"I use to," he answered quietly. "But she wasn't true. A year after I left she was married and from the news I get at times, she welcomed it. There hasn't been anyone since." His soulful blue eyes darted to her, a quick look passing his gaze before he faced forward again. She didn't notice this.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He didn't say anything for a long moment.

"It still hurts at times, but I try to comfort myself with the knowledge that she wasn't happy with me being away and now she is with someone who will always be there." Cassandra's eyes softened, he had loved her that much that he was willing to accept her marriage to another man because he knew she would be happy with him.

"You will find someone, McGinty. Just give it some time." He smiled lightly at that and this time their gazes met. His now deep blue eyes meeting her forest green. They both smiled and when they finally looked away, a few minutes later, both of their cheeks were deep red.

_A/N. The story is all written and separated into four parts with an epilogue. I hope you will enjoy this and let me know what you think of it in the comments._

_Anon people can review as well! I love hearing feedback so please review. Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2

Castle Madison: Early October

Lord John had to leave Castle Madison for a few weeks, promising his girls he'll be back in time for the All Hallow's Day festival and with a kiss on their foreheads he left hardly saying goodbye to Cassandra. John being gone though meant that now both McGinty and Cassandra were running the castle and, McGinty now having less and less free time.

Cassandra found she was missing the Steward's company as he darted from place to place or would stay cooped up in the Lord's study, reviewing and looking at papers.

Jane and Mary's quiet disposition hadn't changed since their father's leaving, if anything they seemed sadder. Hoping to get them to talk and their minds off their father she posed them a question during High Tea. "What is this festival I'm hearing about?"

Jane didn't say anything but Mary seemed to perk up, her youthful face growing excited. "It's the All Hallow's Day Festival. Mother based it off of some old holiday that had been done to celebrate the ending of summer and the beginning of winter. It's so much fun! There's singing and dancing and laughter and so many wonderful foods!" Cassandra's eyes widen a bit on how much and fast Mary said this.

_I don't think I've ever heard her speak so much._ But Cassandra soon smiled, happy to have at least one of the girls talking. "That does sound like fun."

"It was mother's favorite event," Jane spoke, her gaze not moving from the embroidery she was stitching. "The year she died and it came time for the festival father was going to stop producing it but McGinty, I guess, talked him out of it as somehow in the end we had a festival that year."

"Yes and McGinty sang such a beautiful tribute in mother's honor." Mary smiled at the memory. This was new; Cassandra didn't know McGinty could sing.

"He sings?" Both girls nodded their heads.

"McGinty, Byrom, Kelly –the horse trainer-, Harkin –the minstrel-, Byrne – I think he works in the kitchens or something- and Cahill -our music teacher- all sing together on special occasions like the festival."

Unfortunately though Cassandra couldn't ask them any more questions as at that minute said music teacher entered the common sitting room of the castle.

"Good morning, Cahill," Cassandra greeted. "Is it time for the girls' music lessons?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he bowed low. Cassandra nodded her head, telling the girls she would talk with them after their lessons. The girls and Cahill left the room, leaving Cassandra in silence but after a few minutes of silence she left to locate the young Steward, she wouldn't mind the company as she embroidered.

It only took a few tries; there were only a few places he would be. He was found in John's study looking through some papers.

"Would you like some company, McGinty?" The young male's head shot up at hearing her voice and a tired smile came to his face while his soul filled eyes danced.

"I am fairly busy at the moment but if you want to stay and endure my quiet company, you are more than welcome." He turned his head back to his papers.

Cassandra just smiled and settled right in the chair across the desk from McGinty.

They entered a pleasant silence as they did their own work. But after another hour and half of reading boring papers Damian decided to take a break, especially as his neck and eyes were giving him pains.

"How's the sampler coming?" Cassandra didn't look up but she did smile.

"Slow but steady," she paused to hold the needlework up for him to see. From what Damian could tell of such finery it looked more or less like a blob of colored strings.

"It's coming along beautifully," he smiled not wanting to actually voice that it looked more like a patchwork quilt than anything else he had seen.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I just started it. How can it look beautiful when all it looks like is some random colored stitches?"

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it instead when nothing came to mind. Cassandra giggled at him and he decided he very much liked that sound.

"You're very cute," Cassandra commented as she took back up the needle. "Don't ever change."

He felt a strange warmth enter his cheeks at the compliment. "So, what is it going to look like?"

"Not sure," her voice was soft. "I'm thinking of going to try to do the castle's suit of arms and around it would be a green vine with some flowers growing out of it or something."

"Sounds ambitious."

"Only the coat of arms." She gave him a soft smile as she pulled out some scissors and cut the thread, tying it quick before pulling out some more of a different color.

He watched her hands intently, watched as graceful and slender fingers worked the string and the piece of material it was on. _I wonder_, he thought as he watched her work. _How soft are those hands?_ He felt such a desire to stand up and walk over to her, taking one of her hands in his and feeling them. Were they soft and smooth? How would their hands fit? When he was a young boy his mother always told him that she knew his father was the one because of how their hands had fit. He hadn't understood what that had meant at the time but now that he was older… he was starting to understand.

"What are you thinking about?" Damian was drawn out of his thoughts by her curious voice.

"Hmm?" He focused back in on her, focused back in on the thought that he was a servant and she was going to be his Lord's Lady. They could never be.

"What are you thinking about? You looked so serious just sitting there staring." Her deep forest eyes went back down to her needlework.

_You_, he wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. "I was just thinking…" he awkwardly trailed off before focusing in on the papers in front of him. "About the new land reports." He faked a smile, she looked up quickly to pass him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him, but she let it go though.

Damian went back to reading said reports but it didn't take long before Cassandra asked another question. "What's your position on romance?"

"What? Romance?" He looked back up, slightly confused on how they entered that subject. "What is with you women and romance?"

She shrugged. "It's a nice thought to know that someone loves and cares for you."

"Isn't the love of a parent and our savior and God enough for you?"

Cassandra paused and in a rare show of nerves, bit her own lip. "They are but there's something special, comforting, about having the love of someone who is completely ordinary with no tie to you other than the fact he loves you. Is that so bad?"

He didn't respond for a long moment, trying to gather his thoughts on the issue. "If love does exist then it should not effect my relationship to Lord John, he has done more than enough for me and I owe him my allegiance and respect. I will not participate in any activities, no matter how strong the feeling is, that could disrupt that."

The young lady nodded her head before cutting the string, knotting it and swiftly departing with the words. "I'll let you be then." But Damian had noticed as she had packed up that her eyes were holding a strange gleam to them, a sad and hurt gleam.

The young Steward felt a small part of his heart want to jump up, grab her and tell her otherwise. That he would leave Lord John's service if only she could reciprocate his feelings of care and promise. But that wasn't the case, she couldn't, _shouldn't,_ reciprocate those feelings. A part of his heart, the same part that wanted to go after her, broke at the thought of not being able to consul and comfort her. All he wanted to do was protect her, and, if she did hold these feelings for him he would have to break her heart. For he was just a servant and she was a lady.

There was a tense silence between them after that noon, neither one talked to the other except on terms of absolute business. Cassandra busied herself with the girls and writing to her friends and family back in England, taking a more active stance in her duties as Lady of the Castle while Damian concentrated on running the castle.

As the two ignored each other a sickness started to creep through the castle. It happened subtly with a few of the older servants getting sick but then it started to spread. After the tenth person got the same terrible fever and chills Cassandra called a nearby physician, a man named Browne. He immediately quarantined the castle and all of its inhabitants until he could figure out what the sickness was.

Dear Mum, Cassandra had started writing one night a few days later, after thirty other servants became ill. A strange epidemic has risen among the servants. McGinty is doing the best he can with keeping the servants calm and everything running as smoothly as possible. I fear he might grow ill soon he's working himself so hard.

Please pray for everyone's health, Mother. Mary is terribly frightened and while Jane doesn't show it, I know she is too. I'm scared as well. I don't know what to do! I don't know how to help. The doctor is refusing to let me in to see the sick as he's afraid I'll catch it too but… I want to help! I don't just like sitting here, wondering. At least McGinty is doing something. Oh, Mother I'm so scared!

Love your frightened daughter,

_Cassandra_

Two weeks later though it looked like they was starting to pull through the crisis. That was until Cassandra woke up from a cold and heart-racing dream. Her eyes were wide as her mind replayed the last words she had screamed in the dream, "No. NO!"

Why had she reacted like that? Why had she froze at seeing him in that position and when the doctor had told her the news the whole world seemed to have died? Why had it shocked her so badly?

But she knew. She knew exactly why it did shock her, and the nightmare had only proved it further. She wouldn't be getting back to sleep any time soon this night and so she decided to take a night walk in the starlight. It was finally a new moon with a clear sky, making it so that the only things lighting up the sky were the stars and the patterns they made.

Outside it was quiet, the only sounds coming from the wind in the trees and the night animals stirring in the bushes. Cassandra didn't have a clue on where she was going until she turned on a path that lead to a small pond, a few feet away sat a stone bench, peering at the reflective surface. Deciding this would be a good place to stop, she fixed her shawl and moved over to the bench. Sitting down she straightened her dress and peered at the small pond. It looked dark and mysterious in the limited light, where everything was dressed in shadows. It was spooky being here by herself… alone.

"My Lady?" Cassandra jumped, startled to see and hear someone with a lantern coming closer. "My Lady, what are you doing up at this untimely hour? Surely you need your bed rest."

"McGinty?" As the figure came closer and her eyes got more used to the light she realized that the figure was indeed the young Steward. She felt her body relax at the presence of another person there.

"Yes?" he said his tone grave and tired, he looked tired and… defeated. She sighed, looking away from him and back to the pond.

"I had a night terror. Couldn't go back to sleep."

"So you decided to go walking without an escort at dark?" Even though his tone was polite she could tell he thought the idea was stupid.

"I'm in the Castle grounds," she objected her tone light as she looked back at him. She could see his face in the lamplight, except his piercing blue eyes. Those were in the shadows.

McGinty shook his head clearly disapproving of the idea. "Even still it's no place for a lady like you to be after dark." The young blonde woman didn't say anything for a moment.

She turned away, not willing to admit it to his face. In a soft voice though she answered, "The dream just scared me so much." McGinty closed his eyes and placed the lantern on the ground as he took a seat beside her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She hesitated for a second before slowly nodding her head. She knew, she shouldn't be telling him the dream, how much it scared and shocked her. How much she cared. But, right now, under the moonlight in private, she could pretend for just a few moments that it was only just them, in their own little world where whatever decision they made wouldn't affect anyone other then them. They were just Cassandra and Damian.

As she retold the nightmare neither one noticed their bodies naturally inching closer. "…I turned around then and saw you lying there on the bed your eyes were closed and you were having trouble breathing. I panicked and called the doctor over." She shook her head, her breath going a bit ragged as she relived the moment all over again. She could feel the tears building behind her eyes as she saw him lying there on the bed. His beautiful blue eyes shut from the world, his chest moving up and down, uneven, as he tried to take in breaths, until he stopped. Cassandra could hear her own piercing scream in her mind as she watched that replay in her mind. A tear started to roll down her face, followed by another and then another. "You had stopped breathing. The doctor had rushed over to your side but it was too late. He just pulled your blanket over your head and said a prayer. All I could do was stand there, staring at your body, the only words escaping my mouth were, 'No, he can't be dead. No he can't leave me!' But you had." With one shuddering breath she collapsed into sobs as the image of the young Steward, her friend, her… no, she couldn't say it because it could never happen between them, laid dead before her eyes. It was all she could see; all she could hear was her own screams.

Damian blinked a few times as he stared at the young lady who was now in tears beside him. He had died in her dreams from the illness that had taken several other good peoples' lives, she had dreamt he had been one of them.

He stared at her, saying barely above a whisper. "Please, please stop crying." Her peals didn't shrink. He touched her shoulder, squeezing it gently, not knowing what to do really. He had never been very good at comforting people. "Please stop."

"He's dead. He can't be dead." She whispered as she shook her head, refusing to believe the dream. "He just can't."

_She's still reliving it._ He touched her face then, trying to wipe her tears away. "My Lady. Lady Cassandra I'm right here. I'm alive. I'm fine. Please stop crying." He was louder this time, a bit more forceful but still pleading with her. She was still crying, still refusing to listen.

He grabbed her hands that had been busy twisting and folding her shawl and brought them instead to his face so she could _feel_ him. "I'm right here!" This time there was no plea, only desperation to break the illusion. "I'm alive. It's only a dream. Please, stop crying, please!" He whispered into her thumb that had moved to gently touch his lips. "Please stop. I'm alive. I'm well. I'm here!" Her tears started to slow and her breathing was slowly starting to even. "I'm here." He squeezed her hands that rested on his cheeks and felt her fingers start to move, her soft, smooth fingers brushing against his cheeks, her thumbs touching the corners of his mouth. "I'm here." She opened her eyes then and he looked into shinning deep green eyes. "I'm right here. It's just a dream. The sickness is leaving. We've survived. I'm right here."

Cassandra took a shuddering breath before pulling herself into him, breaking his grip on her hands so she could wrap them around his neck. She clung to him, tight, as she repeated his words into his chest.

"You're alive. You're okay. You're alive."

Slow and awkward he wrapped his own arms around her, wondering if they should really be this close, before disregarding the thought. She needed comfort and he would do his best to provide it. It was the least he could do.

"Don't worry, my Lady. I'll look after you. Don't worry." He whispered into her ear as he rubbed her back and arms, remembering how his own father once had done the same thing with his mother. "I will protect you for as long as I'm near you and have the power to do so." Her breathing was evening out, he could feel her own chest against his torso, start to slow down and become calm. "I'll protect you," he whispered into her hair, her sweet, sweet smelling hair.

"Can you?" she asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"To the best of my abilities. You mean too much to me not to protect."

She wasn't expecting that, especially with such a force and sincerity she had never heard from him or anyone else before. _"You mean too much to me not to protect."_ No, no one had ever said that to her before, that she meant so much to them and hearing it coming from _him._ A man she was considering to mean much more to her than anyone else she had ever met before and, was quite positive, would ever meet again. Her heart was beating fast again and strange butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach. Did he have feelings for her?

"McGinty?" She finally looked up into his eyes that she couldn't really see but in her's Damian saw the stars, the stars twinkling so bright.

"Please," he interrupted as he gazed into those eyes. "Call me Damian. At least for tonight, please."

She nodded her head, not breaking their gazes. "Damian, what do you feel for me? And please, _please,_ be honest. Don't tell me what you think I do or do not want to hear. Just tell me the truth of your feelings. What do you feel for me?"

Damian was caught off guard by the question, his eyes expanding a little bit as his breath caught in his throat. But, he forced a breath. He closed his eyes and tilted his head up a bit, trying to understand the feelings bursting within him at this moment, in this scene.

She had asked for his feelings. His feelings? He wanted to make her laugh, make her smile. He wanted to hold her and care for her. If he had to go home to a girl everyday, it would be her. He knew she wasn't perfect, she had her moments of weakness and selfishness, but the good ones outweighed all those moments. The ones spent together walking around talking and laughing.

Cassandra had told him that night they had both walked around the castle with candles in their hands that she had always dreamed of marrying for love. She had dreamt of being married to a kind and gracious gentleman who would grow to love her and raise their children together in happiness and love. To love and be loved, money and status not being an issue.

When he had heard that he had been impressed. Most of the women he would hear their dreams of thought of rich, and handsome men who would cart them off to a palace or manor to live in, taking them away from the work of a peasant. Very shallow girls who sat around dreaming of men they couldn't have when he knew plenty of perfectly _good_ men who, while might not be rich, would take care of a girl and try to keep her happy. And that was the man that Cassandra wanted.

As he thought of this and Cassandra's perfect man, he was realizing more and more that he wanted to be that man. The man to fulfill her dreams of love. Throwing all caution to the wind as this could easily ruin his job or possibly even his life, here he told her. She had asked for honesty.

"Honesty, you ask," he started slow and soft. Moving his head back down to see Cassandra opening her eyes, revealing her deep forest green orbs again. "Then I shall give it." She nodded her head and he swallowed, his throat growing dry as he opened his mouth. "I do care for you more than I should, My Lady Cassandra. But I can't seem to hide these feelings inside myself any more.

"I want to court you. I want you to become my wife so everyday when I come home I can see your smiling face. To hold you in my arms and shower you with kisses and soft caress all through the night. To sleep with you, in my bed, underneath the starlight and share all the happiness and sorrow in the world with you. I _want_ to _be_ with you. Those are my feelings for you." He slowly, and with great reluctance, started to separate from her. "But you are going to be getting married to my Lord and I am nothing but a servant. If you no longer desire my company, I understand. All I ask is that you let me know so I can tell Lord Madison I need to leave his services." He broke away, getting ready to leave but Cassandra took his hand, holding it.

"Wait," she spoke, soft and sweet. "Please, don't leave." He stopped moving; she didn't let go of his hand.

She got up, moving ever so slowly to face him. Licking her lips, she opened her mouth, cautious and careful. "I feel the same way. I want to be with you too." It was a whisper, a whisper he barely missed, but he still heard it. Still heard the words formed and those words fall off her lips.

_"I feel the same way. I want to be with you too."_

He felt his heart leap up into his throat in happiness and relief, a happy smile coming on to his face. He was so giddy with excitement he could scream but then he remembered where he was and his place. That bubble of happiness burst, his heart seeming to now rest in his stomach. They couldn't be. "You are getting married to my Lord and I am his most faithful servant. We can not be together."

She shakes her head, irritated. "I don't want to be with him. I want to be with you."

"You don't have a choice." She glared at him for that.

"Nobody has to know. It can be our secret." He continued to shake his head.

"I can't betray my Lord. He's the reason I'm here today. I can't betray his trust or loyalty with him. If I was to be with you it would be illegal and I would betray everything he has ever given me. I can't do that to him."

Her eyes narrowed and turned down. Damian had the urge to pick up her face and once again cradle it in his hands, to stare back into her eyes.

"Please, Cassandra, look at me." His voice sounded like one of a hurt puppy, he was heartbroken. She knew, because she was feeling the same pain to.

With great reluctance she looked back up at him and found she could see his eyes, eyes that were showing a whirlwind of torment, pain and loneliness; his soul. "Do you know what I see when I look into your eyes?" He spoke soft and sweet, a hand coming up to rest right below her chin so she couldn't move her head away from his gaze. "I see another world. A world full of people who can be who they want to be, not what they are supposed to or should be. I see that world and I want to be in it. Never doubt that for a second."

"Why are you telling me this if we can not be?" He was saying all the right words to make her dreams come true, but he wasn't letting it happen. So why say them? Her eyes were starting to itch again as the tears were starting to build, but she refused to let them roll down her cheeks. She didn't want to show how hurt she really was by all this.

"'Cause I do want us to be," he sounded determined and strong, like he could really make _them_ into a possibility. Her eyes widen a bit in confusion and despair. Not understanding what he was trying to tell her. "I want us to be together more than anything."

Cassandra opened her mouth but quickly closed it again as the two heard the echoing noise of a group of men coming from a little bit away. Cassandra and Damian's eyes grew wide, if the guards found them together Damian could and, probably would, get into very deep trouble as he was with the young Lady, with no chaperone and, in the dark of night.

"Follow me!" She whispered, letting her hand tangle with his as she gently tugged him behind a tall hedge that stood behind the bench, separating the pond from the rest of the garden.

"The lantern!" He whispered in a slight panic but it was to late, they could already hear the sentries now turn the corner and one of them noticed the out of place small, burning lantern.

The four sentries picked up the lantern and looked around for the trespassers. "Check behind the ledge!" one of them ordered, another sentry followed the order and as he stepped behind the hedge he was greeted with…

_A/N: and that's all folks! Don't you all just love me right now? I leave you a cliffhanger, not to mention it's even cut off in the middle of a sentence! Ha! I feel so evil right now. Especially since I'm not planning on updating for almost a week (going to LA for Thanksgiving, root! Root!)._

_Well, let me know what you guys think. If you want to kill, maim, torture me that's okay too. I completely understand. But please do tell me what you think, I love hearing what my readers are thinking about my story and where it is going._

_Please Review and everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving!_


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3: Castle Madison: Mid October

The four sentries picked up the lantern and looked around for the trespassers. "Check behind the ledge!" one of them ordered, another sentry followed the order and as he stepped behind the hedge he was greeted with only emptiness, no one was behind it.

Damian and Cassandra had escaped.

The next day Lord John came back to the castle, much to his children's delight. Mary kept a firm hold on him and wouldn't let go. Jane was crying into his riding jacket mumbling about how scared she had been. The mid fifty-year-old man looked absolutely helpless, Cassandra just clapped her hands, gaining the girl's attention and told them it was time for their lessons. Reluctantly they let go. John gave her a grateful smile.

At the end of the month was the All Hallows Day Festival; Cassandra had never seen the castle so lively before. Everyone seemed to have a spring in their step leading up to that day and when Cassandra asked Damian if he was going to participate in the festival, he just smiled and told her it would be a surprise.

When it came time to the actual event a large stage had been erected on the grassy moor just outside the castle's wall. Across from the stage, a few feet away, stood some viewing stands with a box seat in the middle. The box seat would be where the Lord and his family would sit and watch the different events taking place.

Cassandra could see why the girls loved the festival so much, there was always something to see or do. She just couldn't leave the box to see it all!

A few seats away sat Damian who noticed that Cassandra was looking like she wanted to explore more than sit in her chair, straight back and silent. He smiled as an idea popped into his head. He rose from his seat and walked over to the family, the sentries letting him in with ease.

"My Lord," he bowed gaining everyone's attention. "My Lady. I wanted to know if I could take charge of the children for a while. Show them around the festival." His hands were laced behind his back as he gave a warm smile to his Lord.

"Of course," he nodded his head, sounding a bit bored even as his children jumped around him. He turned his head to face his young fiancée. "Would you like to go with him, Cassandra?"

"Yes, thank you, My Lord." She rose, her exterior was serious and calm but on the inside she was very much like the girls, jumping and yelling in excitement. The group quickly left the box suite.

"Thank you," Cassandra said just loud enough for Damian to hear.

His piercing blue eyes darted to her quickly before looking back forward, a small smile creeping onto his face as he replied in the same low tone. "It was no problem, Cassandra." Her smile was discreet but Damian saw it and smiled in return.

Damian led the three females over to the food area. "Are you ladies hungry?" Mary eagerly nodded her head; a wide smile on her face, Jane was more adult about it as she gave a small affirmative.

"What would you suggest we try, McGinty?"

"You'll see in a moment, My Lady." He gave her a mischievous smile. "Wait here, please." He went over to one of the food stands, Mary was at his heels regardless of his words. Cassandra and Jane stayed exactly where they were.

"Are you enjoying the festival Jane?" The young lady looked up to Cassandra and gave a half shrug.

"It's fine. I just wish…" she trailed off and her eyes wandered a bit away, over to where a large field was. Some boys were playing a strange game with a ball that they would pass to one another with their sticks, catching and throwing to one another in long sprints of running. Jane looked at them and at the other peasant girls surrounding them, giggling and calling out their favorite player.

_I wonder,_ Cassandra thought briefly before she heard the sound of some girls a few feet away from her, all eyeing the young Steward, giggle and start talking about him.

"He's amazing," one of them breathed. "I wish I could marry him."

"You know what I heard from Old Woman Caroline?" The darker hair girl gushed as she grabbed her redhead friend's arm. "That if you look into a mirror tonight in a dark room you'll see your husband. We should try that! Maybe one of us will have McGinty in our frames." The girls burst into more silly giggles.

"Ohhh! I heard another one from Meav' that if we can find a slug at night and place him on a plate, the slime will spell our true love's name!" The other one squeezed her friend's shoulder getting excited.

"I heard of that one too but from Haley! So, it _must_ be true!" The girls started to walk away, giggling and planning on how they were going to predict their husband's name. Cassandra rolled her eyes at them. The girls' ideas were just superstitions, their ideas wouldn't be coming true tonight or any other night.

It was promptly then that she felt the young and excited Mary come running over to her and clutch onto her skirts, her curls jumping all around her angelic face. "Mother! Mother, you need to try this!" The young girl looked around her as she noticed Cassandra and Damian's shocked faces and Jane's horrified one. "What?" She asked and held up a piece of bread in her hands. "It's really good."

"Mary," Jane started with a shake of her head. "Our mother is dead."

"I'm highly aware of that Jane," the eleven year old narrowed her eyes at her sister. "But Father will be married to Cassandra by the end of next month. She will be our new mother."

Cassandra looked away from everyone, especially Damian. She didn't want to be reminded of that. That in a few weeks time she will be kneeling, at the alter, with John.

A silence fell over the four until the screams of the girls watching the game spilled into the air. "Here my Lady." Damian held out a small piece of bread, containing raisins in it, the same thing that was held in Mary's hand. "Try some of this please."

Without meeting his gaze she took the bread, their hands brushing for only a second, before ripping a small piece off and placing it into her mouth. It was sweet and rich, the raisins giving it a nice texture in her mouth. It was good. "It's good," she said once as she swallowed the first piece and started to tear off another. "What is it?"

"We call it 'bairin breack.' But you can call in 'barmbrack' or 'spotted bread.'" He passed the last slice to Jane. "Mrs. O' Hara only makes it around this time."

The blonde haired lady looked over to the playing field. "McGinty, do you know what game they're playing?" Damian looked over to the field momentarily.

"Aye, I do. It's called 'hurling.' Would you like to see them play for a bit?" Cassandra moved her gaze to Jane.

"Would you girls like to see a bit of sport before going back to your father?"

"Yes!" Mary giggled at her own excitement. Jane was more reserved but you could see the sparkle in her eyes. Damian only smiled and led the group of females over to the field.

It was a thrilling sport, but Cassandra couldn't help but worry about the men playing getting hurt. It looked dangerous and already one had twisted his ankle. Mary promptly started to cheer with everyone else and Jane after a few minutes started to call out as well, but every time she did, she looked away, a mad blush rising in her cheeks. Damian just watched with a calm smile.

But when the castle's churchyard dinged the time of noon Damian pulled them away from the field. "I need to get ready for my piece and I'm sure your Lord would like you back now." _But I'd rather stay with you,_ Cassandra thought, but didn't say it, it was too risky here.

Damian delivered his charges back to the Lord and gave a quick good-bye to the family; holding Cassandra's gaze for a few seconds before turning and walking away.

"Did you enjoy your wanderings?" Cassandra stayed quiet as she let the girls talk about their time with the Steward. A group of dancers were on the stage, tapping their feet to the music a band a little bit away was playing.

When the dancers were finished they were met with light applause from the audience, which was now slowly growing bigger and bigger as more females of all ages entered the stands and took seats all around the stage.

Ten minutes later six men came onto the stage, one of them was Damian. Byrne had a guitar in his hands that he was plucking. The group started to sing and a smile came to everyone's faces, Cassandra watched Damian with a surprised and pleasant smile as he sang lead for the song.

"Steal away. Let's steal away and chase our dreams and hope they never find us." Damian sang to Cassandra before moving his gaze to some other people in the audience but every time the chorus started he made sure to catch her gaze and smile. His voice was deep, a rich baritone, and he sounded beautiful.

_Yes, let's steal away._ Cassandra clapped along with everyone else, a smile on her face as the song ended. They continued to sing through four more songs, each one just as beautiful and amazing as the one before it. They sounded and looked good together.

"McGinty is a man of many talents. Isn't he?" Cassandra murmured to the Lord as the young Steward sang with his friends.

"Aye, he is quite the catch. I'm surprised he hasn't taken a girl yet." Cassandra made no comment.

"How is it that you came across him? From what I hear he was just an ordinary footman."

"Coulter, the Steward before him," John put in lightly. "If I recall correctly, stumbled upon him reading a book one day and he was impressed by the boy's curiosity and intelligence. Then one day he asked for my appearance to meet the boy. I did and found him quite satisfactory. Soon after that Coulter had the, then fifteen year old, accompanying him on things and showing him what needed to be done and how, when McGinty turned seventeen and Coulter died, I offered the position to McGinty. He accepted and has been doing an amazing job ever since. Coulter would be proud of him, I'm sure."

"As he should be." Cassandra pulled her gaze off the stage as the six men finished their final song. "He did an amazing job." Lord John only nodded his head, his face neutral even as he clapped. Cassandra looked forward as well and caught those beautiful blue shinning eyes, smiling proudly; she smiled back in return and felt a warm glow of pride enter her chest. Yes, he was amazing.

Later that night she woke up, the bright full moon of All Hallow's Night shinning down at her. It was time for the rendezvous. She rose, silent and quick, but took a minute to look at her appearance in the mirror. Making sure her hair wasn't too terribly tangled from sleep but as she gazed into the mirror, slightly off to the side a face was starting to materialize. A face with bright, piercing blue eyes and a warm bright smile stretching across his face as his hair was spiked up in an odd, but very attractive way. It was Damian. Cassandra's eyes grew wide with shock as she stared at the familiar face that was gazing at her in affection and love. A body was starting to form, but instead of wearing his black trousers, white shirt and nice dark jacket he was dressed in some strange blue colored leggings with a thin white shirt revealing his shoulders and arms beneath a thin unbutton red plaid jacket or shirt of some sorts. The reflection stared at her, a warm loving smile on his face now, his lips seeming to form the words, 'I love you.'

Cassandra turned around, was he here? In her room? But there was no one there. She gazed back at the mirror but the only thing staring at her, was herself.

_A/N the song Damian sings is called "Steal Away" from his old singing group Celtic Thunder. You can find it on Youtube and it is absolutely beautiful, one of my personal favorites._

_So who do you think Cassandra is going to be meeting in the middle of the night? Anyone want to take a guess? ; ) One more chapter to go and then the epilogue guys! So let me know what you all think!_


	4. Chapter 4

Castle Madison: November

In the week following the festival Damian left to handle some affairs in the more distant towns of the estate. Leaving Cassandra alone with the girls and John. Mary was starting to become more talkative and playful with Cassandra while Jane was still distant, but nonetheless, was warming up to Cassandra. Lord John still kept himself secluded unless he was absolutely needed.

Three days after the Steward's departure Cassandra was in the music room of the Castle, playing a simple tune on the pianoforte. Her mind far away; back to four nights ago, on Damian's last night in the castle where he had spent most of the night in her arms.

After almost being caught by the sentries on that fateful night the two had taken to meeting up in the middle of the night. It had started very subconsciously as the two would just happen to wake up as the church's bell struck two in the morning and, somehow, would find each other. Like they were supposed to meet, and so they did. Starting a secret courtship.

But it wasn't really a courtship, as they both knew they could never officially be together. No, the late night rendezvous were more personal and intimate then that. During the rendezvous, away from the telling light of day and the prying eyes and ears of servants, they were together. In the mask of night, hidden away in shadows and dimmed light the two talked and held each other.

It was dangerous for them, having to stay quiet incase a sentry or a servant was around. But they made it work. Casting their fears and doubts on to the other and, in return, was comforted. Marriages weren't this intimate were they? They were business deals, how the married couple worked was inconsequential. But for them, for Cassandra and Damian, they worked.

They had their moments of weakness, but they fought through it. Found things out about themselves and the other they had never noticed, both the good and the bad and they accepted that. Accepted those things because while they might not have said it, they did love each other. They loved each other's souls, the person who they were despite the faults, despite the difference in status and upbringing. It didn't matter; here in the mask of night nothing mattered but them.

When Damian came back from his travels, the midnight rendezvous instantly resumed despite Cassandra's quickly approaching wedding.

Two weeks.

One week.

Her family and close friends had already arrived by then, bringing in constant chaos as the servants scrambled to prepare for the approaching wedding and taking care of many more people then they were used too.

"Only one week left." Was the statement everyone was gushing and whispering about as they gathered materials and started to prepare; wide smiles on everyone's faces as they bustled through the day.

"Only one week left." Damian muttered into Cassandra's sweet smelling hair as he held her in a dark room, his mind wondering if this might be the last time he will ever be able to hold her.

"Only one week left." Cassandra whispered back as she buried her face into his pressed shirt, wrapping her arms around his waist, wondering if there will ever be a time she can do this freely in front of others and not under the shadows of night.

For it was just earlier that day Cassandra had gone on a walk with John, Damian chaperoning with great reluctance.

He hated how he had to walk a few steps behind Lord John and Cassandra. Hated how she hung on his arms as he led her through the garden. The Lord made a poor joke and Cassandra politely laughed, Damian glared, the joke wasn't very funny or clever. The brown haired young man instantly heard the laugh's fake quality but he knew that was because he knew _her_ so well.

He could easily make her laugh with a look or a word.

Somewhere, deep within him, a strange creature, a feeling, was bubbling as he gazed at the two. In a few more days she would spend her first night tucked away with a man and a few months after that she will grow. Her womb will expand with the carrying of her first child and John's third and Damian hated it. _He_ wanted to be the first one to take her to his bed. The first one to wake up besides her and hold her all through the mornings and place soft kisses on her head. For her to be carrying both of their's first child. He _loved_ her, shouldn't that make everything possible for them?

Lord John already had his children and a wife while Damian only had a one-sided romance before Cassandra. Damian was young and virile; Lord John was old- in his mid fifties- and who knew if he could still pleasure himself let alone a woman! They had never talked about that! Those were the conversations he had behind closed doors, away from women with Byrom, Harkin, Byrne, Kelly and Cahill, not with his Lord. Why couldn't Damian have her? Why couldn't he be the one to hold her in his arms and to kneel beside her at the alter?

Simple, he had been born of peasant parents and so will always lead the life of a workingman, never to know true luxury. So why can't he have her? Why can't he have at least one joy in his life? As the walk wore on so did his resolve.

The morning before the wedding, Damian received a letter from his family. After reading the letter he knew what he had to do, no matter how painful the consequences were going to be.

That night Damian couldn't get any sleep, his mind turning over too much about the decisions he had made earlier that day.

_"My Lord? May I have a quick audience with you?"_

Eventually Damian decided to go for a walk around the now dark and quiet castle, hoping it would soothe his troubled mind. It didn't work and he eventually came to a halt in front of the music room, he entered it and took a seat on the windowsill, pulling the letter out he placed it on his lap.

_"Of course, McGinty. Why? Is something wrong?"_

The door to the music room opened. Damian's head popped up only to relax once he recognized Cassandra's figure. She closed the door behind her, plunging them into darkness again, as they always were. There wasn't even a lantern or a proper light source, nothing other than the pale, bright full moon hiding behind some loose clouds.

"You should be asleep Cassandra, you have a big day ahead of you." Damian sounded tired, defeated, but that was because he was.

"Can you blame me for wanting to spend one more night with you?" She folded her hands in front of her and slowly started to walk over to him.

"No." He looked back down at the letter. Why was this so difficult? Why was there this lump in his throat? Why was his heart feeling like it was being torn up? "I could never blame you." She was next to him now, peering at the letter.

"Whose it from?"

"My family."

_"My mother is very ill and my family asks for my immediate return home."_

"Will you go?" she refolded the letter as she finished reading it in the faint light.

_"You are discharged, McGinty."_

"Yes." His eyes were stinging; his breath was coming in shaky and uneven.

Cassandra wrapped her arms around him, drawing him to her bosom to cry into, just as he had done for her that night of the nightmare.

"Oh God, Damian." Cassandra choked out. "Oh, Good Lord."

Somehow, somewhere Damian found the strength to move away from her. "But it's just not that, Cassandra." He hesitated for a moment before taking her hands in his, knowing in his heart this will be the last time he will ever get to feel their soft touches. "Remember how I once said that nothing can come between the Lord and I?" She nodded her head. "Well I lied. You did. I care and feel so much for you, so much more than my allegiance to Lord John. I…" The words got caught in his throat but he forced it out, squeezing her soft hands tight. He had to say this; he was never going to have this chance again. "I love you. I love you so much and I wish I had the courage to have said that before."

Cassandra blinked away the tears, a large lump growing in her throat. "I love you too. When do you leave?"

"As soon as the sun rises." Cassandra didn't say anything, only squeezed his hands and brought her lips to meet his in a kiss, a first kiss that was sweet and caring and all to soon became longing and passionate. Both wishing this night could never end, that they could freeze it and make it go backwards, anything to spend some more time together.

When they finally broke to get some much-needed air, did she whisper to him, her breath heavy. "Stay with me tonight. Don't leave me alone. Stay and… make love with me?" Even though he had never heard the term before he knew exactly what she meant. Stay with her, just like John will be doing tomorrow. Exactly like he wanted to.

Placing one more passionate, heated kiss on her lips, he whispered into her warm and sweet mouth, "Yes."

At daybreak Damian woke up with his beloved in his arms, sound asleep. He knew he shouldn't wake her, but he couldn't help but wish her one final good-bye. She deserved at least that. Slowly, and softly, he kissed her into consciousness. "Love," he whispered into her ear. "It's time for me to go."

She looked, even half-asleep, like she was ready to protest but instead kissed his lips for a final time before whispering, "Okay. Just give me a second."

Pushing the blankets aside, her nude body shivering for a moment in the cold air, she walked over to where her needlework laid and grabbed one of the finished samplers.

"This was the one I was going to make into the castle's suit of arms… but I changed it." She folded it and placed it in his hands, her eyes looking up to meet his. "Keep it. Remember me?"

Tears were starting to form in those green eyes, but she fought them back. Damian placed a hand behind her head, bringing it forward so he could kiss her temple and then her lips sweetly for the last time. "How can I ever forget?"

He left to go back home, his heart broken while she walked down the aisle to be joined in holy matrimony to a man that didn't love her.

The sampler was a needlepoint of a pond at night with a couple stitched in darkness.

_A/N: So that is the final part of the body of this story. Trust me, you want to read the epilogue. It will make everything feel better. : )_

_But I have to ask though what was your favorite part and why? Anything I should work on because I am seriously thinking of publishing this someday. Would you guys buy it? _

_I really love this chapter and would love to hear what you guys think of it, both the good and bad so please review!_


	5. Epilogue

Epilogue: Two-Thousand and Eleven

It was two twenty-five in the morning and a few people were up, and all of them were workers. That is except for Cassandra who was in the small kitchen that was accessible twenty-four/seven to the guests of the castle.

The young blond haired noblewoman couldn't get to sleep. She just kept tossing and turning all night. Sleep just refusing to come to her for some odd reason. So, she decided to try out the old wives' tale and steam some milk for her to drink.

Just as she put up the pot and sat down to start working on her needlework, the door to the kitchen opened, letting the youngest member of the singing group Celtic Thunder in. Damian.

Celtic Thunder was filming one of their new concerts at Castle Madison. Their very first meeting was… unusual as when it came time for Damian to be introduced he bowed, deep, Cassandra acknowledging with her own deep curtsy and when they both rose up and their eyes caught for the first time, they both started to giggle. Neither really knowing why but the need to giggle, to laugh and smile, was too great to be kept in. They both sobered up a minute later but by then they were already talking. More and more conversations between them started happening as Cassandra was the liaison between the castle and the musical group and so was often at their rehearsals, watching the group with a fond smile.

Damian was a polite young man, who was very bright and humorous, later on she had found out through one of the other members, Keith, that Damian was usually very quiet and shy when meeting strangers. So, it was a surprise to all the men when he took such a quick liking to her. But, she did admit to herself that there was something about him that just clicked with her.

They understood each other in a very strange and odd way that they had never experienced with anyone else before, not friends or family. They understood and got each other's jokes and there was never an awkward silence between them. They finished each other's sentences like they had known each other for years and it felt that way. It truly did. Like they already knew each other.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" the young man asked, a tired lilt was in his deep brogue, it seems he also had been having trouble going to sleep. Damian pulled out a chair, taking a seat at the small table in the room.

"Yeah," she nodded her head, placing the sampler she was working on, on the table. "But you need it more than me. I don't have my first performance tomorrow." She got up from her chair, moving to the refrigerator. "I'm warming up some milk, see if that will help any. Would you like some?" He agreed and she poured some more into the pot before letting it back on the heat again.

"Me mam would always steam me up some milk when I couldn't get to bed." He smiled absentmindedly. "She said I always went out like a light that way."

Cassie also smiled at that as she let her hands play with her blonde hair for a second before settling herself back down at the table. Her dark forest eyes met and stared into his own oceanic blue eyes. His eyes were such a beautiful blue. A blue she had never seen anywhere before, it changed shades she had noticed. Sometimes it was a light sky blue and other times were dark and luring. At the moment they were the latter.

They stared at each other, the noblewoman and the singer. Slowly, getting lost in the other's eyes that revealed a strange world full of midnight meetings and strict social classes, but in that world was laughter and happiness, of love and friendship. The two continued to stare at each other until they heard the pot start to boil and the smell of burnt milk started to permeate in the air. The two turned to the pot, staring at it in wonder before dawning on them that the milk was boiling.

"Ah damn!" Cassie jumped up to her feet, running to the pot and pulling it from the stove. "The milk!"

"Is ruined," Damian ended, his voice holding just a small inflection of laughter.

Cassie took a spare spoon and stirred the contents just to make sure, and he was right, the milk was burnt at the bottom and was now no good to anyone, she dumped the ruined milk into the sink and started to wash the pot.

"Do you think the bar might be open?" Damian asked as she washed the pot, his gaze coming across a nineteenth century portrait hanging on the wall. It showed a beautiful blonde hair, green-eyed woman with a young boy, about five, with chestnut brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He stared at the young boy, taking note of the boy's bright blue eyes; the nameplate underneath read, _Lady Cassandra and her oldest son, Daniel._ Looking at the portrait Damian felt a strange sense of comfort and regret as he stared at the two. Finally he turned away from it to take the newly cleaned pot away from Cassandra and started to dry it. "We might be able to grab a soda or something?"

"What time is it?" He told her the time and she shook her head. "No, it closes at 2:30."

Damian placed the pot away in the cupboard, turning back to the kitchen table to see her needlepoint staring up at him.

"Can I see this?" She nodded her head, absentminded, as she gazed out the window probably trying to figure out what they could both do. He picked up the needlepoint and looked at it.

It was a beautiful sampler. The scene was at night, at a pond, a couple that was stitched in dark black thread was standing in front of the pond with their heads resting on each other. It was beautiful.

"You did an amazing job," he complimented lightly before setting it back down.

Cassandra's cheeks turned a slight red but she smiled at him. "Thank you. The shadowed couple was the hardest part because I wanted them to be in complete shadow, like all you could make out is their silhouette. Like they-"

"Shouldn't be seen together?" Damian finished with a raised eyebrow and a smile, she laughed and nodded her head.

"Exactly. Almost done too. Just have to work out a bit of the outline."

"Well it's beautiful and when you deem it's done I'm sure it will look magnificent."

"Thanks." She walked over to the sampler, gazing at it for a moment before looking back up at him. "Do you want to come outside with me? I'm going to take a walk and hopefully see the sunrise if I'm still awake."

Damian smiled and nodded his head. "Sure, besides a lady like you needs an escort and protection when walking in the dark."

"Why? You don't think I can take care of myself?" she challenged with a knowing gleam.

"Well, considering what happened to the pot…"

"Hey, two can play at that game mister." He laughed, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them up again.

"In either case I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I let you go walking by yourself at night." There was a sincere smile on his face, his hands stuffed into his pockets in a neutral position, his piercing eyes warm and innocent like.

Cassandra rolled her eyes, but smiled back at him. They left the kitchen then, heading out into the gardens of the castle. They talked lightly about nothing of importance, both of them just letting their feet take them wherever as they walked under a typically cloudy sky.

But then they both stopped. They were at the small pond; an old stone bench sat a few meters away from the pond, a lamppost stood near it casting a low light. They looked at each other and smiled before both of them walked over to the bench and sat down.

"Where are you going to school?" Damian asked her, his voice quiet.

Cassandra looked down at her pajama shirt and pointed to each one of the letters as she said, "University of California Los Angeles." She looked up then and smiled. "I'm in med school. I want to become an immunologist, study of the immunity system and how it works. Who knows maybe I might find the cure for cancer!" They both laughed lightly.

"So you're not going to school here?" She shook her head.

"I didn't want to go to a school where my family has been before so that strikes out like all of the colleges and universities here." She looked back out to the water, her voice going low and serious. "Honestly, though? The reason I actually chose UCLA was because…" she drifted off. Damian leaned in a bit more, not noticing that his body was almost touching hers.

"Yeah," he whispered quietly, his warm breath tickling her ears and neck.

She shook her head, moving away a bit. "No, you're going to think it's stupid or wipe it off as some silly girlish fantasy or something."

He turned his whole body to her, letting it lean against the back of the bench as he gazed at her. "Please," he let out in a low whisper.

He saw her mind waver, saw the battle happening inside and decided to stay quiet. She gave a small sigh and looked back to him a small smile coming to her face. "The real reason I wanted to go to LA was because I knew that was where I needed to be. Do you understand that?"

Damian met her eyes again, receiving that small glimpse of another world again. He nodded his head, understanding. He did understand the need and desire to be somewhere. He couldn't explain it but at times there just felt like something was pulling him towards something or, maybe, someone. "I do," he muttered. He looked away to the pond in front of them.

It was humid outside, as it often was in the summer, and the pond looked so inviting. A part of him wanted to grab Cassandra and pull her into the water with him, but he didn't. He couldn't, could he?

He stood up and walked a little bit over to the pond and stared at it for a moment, trying to find the words to say. "You know," he started in a murmur and looked back over to the young woman still sitting on the bench. Her ankles were crossed, and she sat so delicately, so much like a Lady. "I have only known you for a few days but… but I really do feel as if I have known you for a longer time than that."

She nodded her head. Not saying a word.

"I'll be living in LA for a while, indefinitely really. I… I'm hoping that maybe…" he struggled over his lines a bit as he gazed at her quizzical face. "Maybe you'd like to be with me?" He ended it nervous. Her eyes widened a bit but she didn't say anything. After a few moments of silence though she got up and walked over to him, her dark green eyes looking up into his piercing blue ones.

"What do you feel for me?"

"I don't know," he responded soft and honest. "All I can tell you is that… I am feeling something very strong and… real for you." His throat was dry and there was a strange lump in it now, his heart was beating loud and fast and yet his mind was calm and he felt… soothed. Being here with her, in this light it felt… natural. "I want to know what it is and I'm willing to give _us_ a try if you are." He stopped talking as Cassandra opened her mouth, her eyes shinning up into his.

"I feel the same way too." That morning when the sun came up, it shined its light on the two, curled up on the couch in one of the sunrooms of the castle, a blanket on top of them. In Damian's pocket was the finished sampler and his claddagh ring switched to face inward.

_A/N: And that's the final bit of __Time and Time Again__. I hope you have enjoyed the story just as much as I have enjoyed making it. :)_

_So did the ending surprise anyone? Major jump to the present, right? Anyone see that coming? Anyone? And lastly thank you to everyone who commented. It means a lot to me. : )_


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